US envoy refuses UN exit comment

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The controversial US ambassador to the United Nations, John Bolton, has insisted he does not intend to talk about his decision to leave his post.

Mr Bolton, whose temporary appointment is due to end shortly, was unable to get the Senate backing needed to stay.

In his first appearance at the UN since announcing the news, he said he would give no "wide-ranging exit interview".

Speculation over who will succeed him is mounting, with US ambassador to Iraq Zalmay Khalilzad among names mentioned.

US President George W Bush has yet to make an announcement on the matter.

Prickly relations

In a barbed exchange with reporters at the UN, Mr Bolton fended off any questions he considered to be personal.

It's not my personal opinions that matter, it's the policy of the United States John Bolton <a href="/1/hi/world/americas/4327185.stm" class="">Profile: John Bolton</a> <a href="/1/hi/world/americas/6207968.stm" class="">Casualty of Bush weakness</a>

"I've seen a lot of newspaper stories that start out something like, 'In a wide-ranging exit interview, Mr X said the following'," he said.

"I'm not going to give any wide-ranging exit interviews or even any exit interviews, because I think until I leave federal service, it's not my personal opinions that matter, it's the policy of the United States."

He was also asked whether there was "more of a healing process" in his often prickly relations with UN Secretary General Kofi Annan - who he saw at a White House dinner on Tuesday - since announcing his departure.

"Nope, nobody sang Kumbaya," Mr Bolton quipped in reply.

Critics have questioned factors including his abrasive style at the UN.

But admirers say he is a bright, hard-working realist whose scepticism about the UN's role made him an ideal envoy, when the organisation was in need of reform.

'Difficult task'

The BBC's Jonathan Beale says there has been speculation in Washington for months that Mr Khalilzad could be put forward as Mr Bolton's successor.

He has been a loyal ally of Mr Bush and has taken on some of the administration's most difficult roles, our correspondent says, having also been the US ambassador to Afghanistan.

However, other possible contenders for the UN post are still being mentioned.

They include current Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns, senior state department official Paula Dobriansky and Richard Williamson, a former deputy US ambassador to the UN.

Whoever succeeds Mr Bolton will have the difficult task of trying to persuade the UN Security Council to impose sanctions on Tehran over its nuclear programme, our correspondent adds.